documents, Forgotten Australians, memories

I am free

by Rachael Romero (guest author) on 14 February, 2011

Rachael Romero still has a drawing she made and a piece she wrote on freedom in 1968, aged 15, at the Convent of the Good Shepherd, alias The Pines, Plympton, South Australia.

Rachael wrote:

“I am free” : What does it mean to me?
Physically I am not free nor in some ways mentally. But on contemplating on this subject I have come to the conclusion that no-one is free. Some, however, are freer than others. But we must all conform to rules of society. Some have more rules and some less. Altho’ we may be forced to go here and there we cannot be forced to enjoy this, therefore in this small narrow way we have free will (in thinking).

I find it difficult to say what freedom means to me as I have never been truly free. Altho’ now I have less freedom than ever before. I think in the hereafter we may look forward to perfect freedom as this can be coupled with happiness. Until then however we must be content with the little freedom we have. Freedom of the mind. We can expand our mind or it shrivels to nothingness. So I hope that I may expand my knowledge and in doing so, expand my freedom. While seeking our freedom, we remember the Golden Rule – “Do unto others as you would have them do to you” and know that we must use our freedom not in a bad way by being malicious, insidious or sadistic.